Embodiments of the present invention relate to a termination arrangement 1 for use in a horizontal connection system for subsea connection of a first tubular member to a second tubular member, wherein a hub at an end of the first tubular member is configured for engagement with a corresponding hub at an end of the second tubular member.
At an offshore field for oil and gas exploitation, so-called flowlines may be used for connecting manifolds and christmas trees. At each end of the flowline there is a hub, which is attached to a flowline termination. The end section of the flowline that is welded to the hub is called pup-piece. In order to bring a flowline hub into contact with a mating hub, the flowline termination and the associated flowline hub may be moved axially towards the mating hub by means of a stroking tool, whereupon the flowline hub is secured to the mating hub, for instance by means of a clamp connector or collet connector. In particular for laying of long flowlines, a swivel attachment between the flowline hub and the associated flowline termination is preferred to avoid any problems with torsion or alignment with the fixed subsea connection. Hereby, the flowline hub is allowed to swivel in the flowline termination during installation and during the stroking effected by the stroking tool, and it is thereby possible to prevent torsion from being induced between the flowline hub and the flowline termination during the stroking.
In connection with oil and gas producing installations it is well known that rapid cooling of the production fluid during a temporary interruption of the production may result in the formation of hydrates, which may cause clogging of pipes and pipe connections. The cooling is caused by the ambient cold sea water. To delay cooling of the production fluid in case of an interruption of the production, some form of thermal insulation has to be provided on pipes, pipe couplings and other elements through which the production fluid is flowing.